AscenC22.   Acts of the Apostles 1:1-11.   “When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”  The apostles were still thinking in worldly terms, asking when Jesus would drive out the Roman conquerors and restore control of Israel to the Jews.  Instead Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  The kingdom that they were to establish was to “make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28: 19a)  Although the Apostles knew Jesus personally and so felt the power of his presence, experienced his multitudinous miracles, and heard the life-giving words he spoke, they still thought in worldly, non-spiritual ways. Jesus was to send the Spirit to change that. Then “he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.”  “Two men dressed in white garments” (angels delivering a message) then said to them, “This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”  This was the promise of Jesus’ second coming at the end of the world and universe.

Luke 24:46-53.  “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations.’” Promising them the Holy Spirit Jesus says, “Stay in the city (Jerusalem) until you are clothed with power from on high.”  The power this world uses is to physically overwhelm a person or to produce physical, material irrefutable evidence or proof that forces us to accept what is said.  On the other hand, the power that the Holy Spirit gives is move our hearts and minds to accept the Savior that we cannot see or audibly hear.

Ephesians 1:17-23.  “Brothers and sisters: May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him.”  The Spirit reveals to us that we are deeply loved by Jesus and that that love is so powerful that it can give us a love that is our life for all eternity.  Jesus is the head of the church and we are the church, “his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.” The Spirit breathes into us the spiritual life that is Jesus.